Save yourself a lot of trouble and leave it the way it is.

That's the way I was leaning.

There are issues withe registering it and not registering it.

Registering it will be difficult because you have a 15 ft factory boat with serial numbers and a transfer document that lists it as a 14 home built with no serial numbers (removing or changing the serial numbers is a crime (probably) at a couple of levels). If you want to register the boat call whoever registers boats in your state, tell them what you have, ask them what you have to do, get the name of the person you are talking to, do exactly what they tell you (even if it sounds crazy), take everything to whoever you are told to take it to and tell whoever helps you that "so and so" said this is what I had to do. This works in most States, Florida may be an exception.

Not registering it has problems too. You have a 15 ft factory boat with serial numbers and a transfer document that lists it as a 14 home built with no serial numbers. If you get caught by a registration check, the best case is you will just pay a fine. The worst case I can think of is that they will run a check on the serial probably years later, because it is LOW priority, find it was reported stolen in another state, you have a suspicious transfer document and now you have a mess. This is farfetched because most sail only boats, more than 20 years old were never registered.

Anyway, good luck. I wish states were honest with us. They don't give a crap about us and they are not going to investigate if we report the boat stolen. They just want our money. There should be an easier way where we just send money and they don't pretend.

I don't think it's quite THAT negative and complicated....if any authority ever asks him about it, all they are going to care about is that he has some sort of registration (assuming registration is required in his state...some do not).

Wisconsin. Tell em' its a race boat. No registration required then.

I am not trying to be negative. I am trying to tell people that Parks and Wildlife, DMV, Tax Collector, etc are all paramilitary organizations. Meaning you can do the paperwork their way or do it over again. If you decide not to do the paperwork, they WILL find a way to make your life miserable.

I learned a lot about not registering "Race Boats" the expensive way. Most State Laws say something like used exclusively for racing in sanctioned events. Practicing doesn't count and sailing outside of the time limits on a sanctioned event is a no no. Also outside of major cities Sanctioning Officials can be odd. It could be the County Commissioner or they may not have one or it could be the guy you wrote you the ticket.

I have also learned the hard way that if you get a ticket and your paperwork is strange, pay the ticket rather than showing them your paperwork. AND to a State official, anything short of the paperwork a dealer gives you when you buy a new boat looks suspicious.

I think it depends on the offender, the day, the state, the offense, and the cop

it can go different directions depending on any of those variables (cop spilled coffee on his lap, the cheif is getting pressure from the mayor, etc. )

Here in FL, we have guys who have never had an issue, and guys who walk into the DMV (Tax collector) and walk out a suspect (in a boat theft).

I suggest you carry a very attractive woman with you at all times, and let her deal with the cop...

Sound advice on all fronts

I would try that, although I'm almost certain it would end up with a shooting

We did this with solings when I lived in Milwaukee. No worse for wear, except for sailing on a soling.

Tim